


Some Hard Truths

by FallenQueen2



Series: NaruShika Stories [8]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Don't copy to another site, Gen, Sasuke is toxic to Naruto, Shikamaru believes in Naruto, You can't change my mind, bitter fic, but not anti-sasuke, odd combo but there you have it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:26:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26269459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallenQueen2/pseuds/FallenQueen2
Summary: Before Naruto leaves with Jiraiya for training, Shikamaru delivers some hard truths, giving Naruto something to think about.
Relationships: Jiraiya & Uzumaki Naruto, Nara Shikamaru & Uzumaki Naruto
Series: NaruShika Stories [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1950352
Comments: 5
Kudos: 189





	Some Hard Truths

“Naruto!” Shikamaru waved his hand at the blond who was walking through the village. Naruto looked around and a smile lit up his face as he spotted Shikamaru before he weaved between people to make it over to the spot Shikamaru was standing. 

“I’m glad I caught you.” Shikamaru gave the blond a small smile.

“I was on my way to meet Ero-Sannin at the gates!” Naruto explained before following Shikamaru down a quiet alleyway before Shikamaru leaned against the wall. Naruto fell silent as he shifted under the intense gaze of the Nara. 

“Why are you going on this trip Naruto?” Shikamaru asked and Naruto rocked back on his heels before plastering a smile onto his face.

“To get stronger! Then I’ll be strong enough to bring the teme back!” Naruto announced in the same way he had to Sakura. 

“That’s what I thought, Naruto I need you to listen to me. I know all about your ninja way, about how you do your best to never break your promises… Do you think you can make me a promise?” Shikamaru shoved his hands into his pockets. 

“Of course Shikamaru!” Naruto blurted out without a second thought, too stunned that Shikamaru was asking him for a promise. 

“While you’re training to get stronger, I need you to promise me that you’re doing it for the right reasons,” Shikamaru said and Naruto blinked and tilted his head in confusion. 

“For the right reasons? What do you mean Shikamaru?” Naruto’s eyebrows furrowed together. 

“What a drag,” Shikamaru scuffed his sandal against the ground before he straightened his shoulders and look directly at Naruto. 

“I believe you will become Hokage Naruto,” Shikamaru stated so confidently that Naruto reeled back in shock before a small, genuine smile and a just as small blush appeared on his face. 

“So that’s why you need to get stronger, you need to get stronger to achieve your dream, you need to get stronger for yourself… You can’t get stronger to bring Sasuke back.” Shikamaru bit the bullet and a small gust of wind swirled around the two as confusion shone in Naruto’s blue eyes. 

“What?” Naruto whispered and Shikamaru fisted his fingers from where they were hidden in his pants pocket. 

“I know you promised Sakura and yourself that you will do whatever it takes to bring Sasuke back… You need to think about if he wants to come back or not… People almost died while trying to retrieve him. If Gaara and his siblings didn’t show up when they did many of us, myself included wouldn’t be here right now.” Shikamaru said bluntly and felt his stomach twist when Naruto’s usually tanned skin paled.

“When you caught up to him, he fought you… He killed you even if it was for a few moments… He killed you Naruto. The relationship you have with him is toxic and abusive. People that truly cared about you would never do that.” Shikamaru’s fear and anger bled into his words that were growing louder before he took a deep breath and slumped his shoulders. 

“You can’t let your life revolve around him Naruto, he made his choice. He wanted power and took it when it was offered, he turned his back on the village, on you, all for power.” Shikamaru looked away, feeling exhausted.

“So promise me that when you’re out there training, you’re training so you can become Hokage. Sasuke made his choice no matter the consequences to the rest of us… You need to make your own choice Naruto.” Shikamaru turned his back on Naruto, having said his piece.

“Either way, I’ll miss you Naruto. I hope you find what you’re looking for on this training trip.” Shikamaru threw back over his shoulder as he raised his hand in goodbye as he started walking away. 

“I’ll miss you too Shikamaru and… Thanks.” Naruto whispered but Shikamaru still heard it and it took everything he had in him not to turn around and hug the blond. He did all he could; the rest was up to Naruto. 

~~/~~

“What’s up brat? I thought you would be talking my ear off, but you've been quiet.” Jiraiya asked that night once their camp had been made. 

“…It’s just something Shikamaru said to me before I left…” Naruto curled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them as he stared at the flickering fire. 

“Shikamaru? The Nara kid? Yeah, what did he say?” Jiraiya was interested, he had heard that the newest Nara heir was the smartest one in his clan and that was saying something. 

“He said… He said that I needed to train with you to get stronger, to get stronger for myself, for my dream to be Hokage… Not to get stronger to bring Sasuke back.” Naruto whispered and Jiraiya hummed as he poked at the fire. 

“How do you feel about that?” Jiraiya asked slowly. 

“I don’t know… I want Sasuke back; I want to bring him back for Sakura… I just don’t know if that’s enough anymore…” Naruto admitted as he rested his chin on the tops of his knees. 

“Any reason why?” Jiraiya prodded as he set down the stick he was using to tend to the fire and leaned back on his palms.

“During the mission to bring Sasuke back… My friends all almost died… Shikamaru said that if Gaara and his siblings didn’t show up then all of them including Shikamaru wouldn’t have survived.” Naruto felt bile rise in his throat at the mere thought of it. He hadn’t seen the others as he was recovering in the hospital but he knew Shikamaru had and he noticed the now permanent dark shadows in Shikamaru’s eyes that weren’t there before. 

“I saw the report brat, the Nara isn’t wrong,” Jiraiya admitted he hadn’t gotten that mad in a long time. Tsunade had broken a desk when she had gotten the full report in her rage.

“I know! I know!” Naruto blurted out and ducked his head down so his forehead rested on his kneecaps. 

“If you do get sent on a mission to bring Sasuke back to Konoha and if you miraculously succeed with no major casualties… It won’t be a warm welcome for him, last Uchiha or not, he betrayed the village to Orochimaru. The village can’t let that stand, you know that.” Jiraiya admitted and Naruto made a pained noise but he nodded against his knees. 

“Shikamaru told me that he believed I will be Hokage one day,” Naruto whispered as he looked up at Jiraiya.

“Smart kid,” Jiraiya nodded, pleased that someone finally told Naruto he was believed in. 

“I thought I needed to keep my promise, to bring Sasuke back to prove to everyone that I could be Hokage one day…” Naruto fiddled with his fingers as he spoke, staring back at the fire. 

“I think… I think Shikamaru is right. I want to bring Sasuke back and one day I will but… I want to get stronger for myself, for my future as Hokage and for Shikamaru! To show him that his belief in me wasn’t misplaced!” Naruto exclaimed, eyes shining with determination. 

“Hang onto that determination brat, you’re going to need it,” Jiraiya smirked and made a mental note to collect intel on the Nara heir. He had to be something special if he managed to get through Naruto’s thick skull and to be the reason behind Naruto’s now blinding smile.

**Author's Note:**

> ShikaNaru Christmas Weekend Event Interest Check
> 
> What is a better way to celebrate the holidays than with some Shikamaru & Naruto being adorable? 
> 
> Take a moment to fill out this interest check form, let me know what you think! 
> 
> https://forms.gle/F4gsZFoWo4gnTNSL9


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